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Ladhar Bheinn

Date walked: 07/08/2012

Time taken: 7 hours

Distance: 14 km

Ascent: 1414m

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LADHAR BHEINN

They promised a few nice days so I headed for Kinloch Hourn, arriving at lunchtime. It was raining a bit as I set off for Barrisdale but it soon cleared and I enjoyed the walk in along the lochside.

Loch Hourn

Loch Hourn

Rounding the corner into Barrisdale Bay it is still about 2k to the bothy and the campsite. As soon as I stopped to put the tent up the midges descended!!! I just had time to make a cup of tea when it started to rain and it then hammered down for quite a while as I tried to kill all the midges that had got into the tent. But I had a nice walk along the beach later in the evening, if only to escape the midges! It rained in the night and was still raining the next morning. Who makes up these weather forecasts??? But having walked in and survived the night of a million midges I decided to set off for Ladhar Bheinn anyway: it was, of course, going to brighten up wasn’t it?

I decided to go round clockwise to get the views across to Beinn Sgritheall and Skye when the clouds all lifted and the sun came out. So off towards Mam Barrisdale I went, pausing for a quick photo of Gleann Unndalain.

Brightening up?

The cairn at Mam Barrisdale soon loomed out of the mist and there was a faint path leading off towards Ladhar Bheinn, another heading for Luinne Bheinn. I was still in cloud and it was still raining so I took a bearing. I decided to take a direct route to the spot height at 849 rather than going via Stob a’ Chearcaill. It was extremely wet underfoot, with long wet grass, bog and burns to cross but it didn’t take too long before I could see the ridge ahead of me and after a short but very steep climb I found a path which led to the cairn at 849.

There then followed a steep descent to Bealach Coire Dhorrcail and some entertaining scrambling up very wet rock as the rain continued to lash down. Water ran down the inside of my sleeves as I reached up for holds but I was quite enjoying myself by this stage. More ups and downs and scrambling followed until I reached the narrow summit ridge and a cairn (not the summit). The summit cairn is a bit further on and past that is the trig point. Returning to the first cairn I found the path that leads along the narrow ridge to Stob a’ Choire Odhair. This was quite exciting as I could see a bit by this stage and there were steep drops on either side. Then on down Druim a’ Choire Odhair for a spot of lunch and another midge-fest. It was really clearing quite well by this stage and had even stopped raining and I could see the coast and Eilean a’ Mhuineil and then Arnisdale and the lower slopes of Ben Sgritheall , but alas no sign of Skye.

Then I caught sight of the Allt Coire Dhorrcail. It was a raging torrent. Would I be able to get across?? There didn’t seem to be a path going down to the burn so it was more long wet grass and bog and bracken. I headed for the shielings that are marked on the map but there really isn’t much there now. And fortunately I found a good place to cross near there. After the river crossing there is a path that contours round Creag Bheithe and then descends through bracken to reach Barrisdale Bay. I am all for zigzag paths but I felt this one took it rather to the extreme. Endlessly backwards and forwards across the hillside without seeming to lose any height at all – apart from when I fell over because I couldn’t see my feet amongst all the bracken. Very eventually I reached level ground and walked along the track, across the bridge and back to the tent. The sun was now shining brightly and I took down the tent (almost dry) and set off for the long walk out. It seemed much further going back somehow. I also had to do the last hill twice because as I approached the top I realised I had left my glasses behind when I had taken off my fleece by the burn at the bottom!

Well done. My pal and I walked in to Barrisadale Bay a couple of Octobers ago and got so battered by a storm that we walked our wet and cold bodies straight back out again the next morning. Your report has reminded me to get back there!! Thanks.

Borderhugh wrote:Is it possible to do Ladhar Bheinn in a day from Kinloch Hourn?

It would be a very long day. I reckon the walk in/out is 2.5-3hours each way (although it might be quicker if you were not carrying camping gear). On a good day you could do a circuit of Ladhar Bheinn in about 6 hours I think. So about 11-12 hours total. I don't think I would want to do it all in the same day myself but I expect people have.

Shame to miss out on the full views, but this sounds like a typical day out in Knoydart - especially the high burns .

Borderhugh wrote:Is it possible to do Ladhar Bheinn in a day from Kinloch Hourn?

You could, but it'd be long. In fact I know a guy who did all 3 Knoydart Munros in a day from Kinloch Hourn . I can't see the fun in that myself (must've taken him the best part of 24 hours), but Monty might see it as an interesting challenge (I know he still has these ones to go)